Russia condemned the US military operation in Venezuela on Saturday, pointing to the lack of justification for the attack, which it saw as reflecting the dominance of 'hostile ideology' in diplomacy. 'This morning, the United States carried out an armed aggression against Venezuela. It is a very alarming event that deserves condemnation,' the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry added that 'hostile ideology has triumphed over serious pragmatism.' The statement did not mention President Nicolás Maduro, whom US President Donald Trump announced had been arrested during the military operation on Saturday in Venezuela. The Russian statement read: 'We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people,' noting that there were no reports of Russian citizens being injured in the US strikes. The Russian Foreign Ministry supported 'the statement issued by the Venezuelan authorities and the leadership of Latin American countries on the urgent call for a meeting of the UN Security Council'. Venezuela is Russia's most prominent ally in South America.
